H.R. 2523

Training in High-demand Roles to Improve Veteran Employment Act or the THRIVE Act

This bill makes updates to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) training and education policies and programs, including by amending the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.

(Sec. 2) In implementing the VA's rapid retraining assistance program, the list of high-demand occupations must be prepared in conjunction with the Department of Labor. The VA may add and remove occupations as appropriate.

The bill excludes programs pursued solely through distance learning on a half-time basis or less from the housing stipend available to those participating in the retraining program.

The VA must contact program participants to notify them about employment placement services after they begin the program and upon either completion of the program or termination of participation in the program.

The VA must seek to enter a memorandum of understanding with one or more qualified nonprofit organizations for the purpose of facilitating the employment of veterans who participate in the program.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the retraining program.

(Sec. 3) The VA must provide veterans and members of the Armed Forces with information about whether (1) a postsecondary education institution is listed on the College Navigator website as being affiliated with a certain religion, (2) an institution is minority serving, and (3) an institution is gender-specific. The VA must provide information about postsecondary education and training opportunities in a searchable format.

(Sec. 5) The bill includes for-profit educational institutions that are converted to public educational institutions in the annual risk-based survey the state approving agency must conduct.

(Sec. 6) The VA must take certain disciplinary action when any person with whom an educational institution has an agreement for marketing, advertising, educational programs, recruiting, or admissions services engages in specified behaviors, such as providing a type of incentive payment to persons engaged in student recruiting. Under the bill, such disciplinary actions may include suspending the approval of courses and programs offered by the institution or revoking the approval of courses and programs.